Access To Information records reveal the Trudeau Liberals paid researchers to develop attention-grabbing TikTok videos for 13-year-olds. “A machine learning algorithm” targeting teenagers was financed under a program approved by then-Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould, the records obtained by Blacklock’s Reporter show. The research was funded under a $19.4 million “Digital Citizen Program” launched by Gould. “A machine learning algorithm will be coming out soon,” said a project summary. Researchers studied music, video techniques and use of slang in attracting children’s focus, they said.Documents did not explain what use the government proposed to make of manipulative TikTok posts. The Treasury Board in 2023 banned TikTok from all government-issue smartphones as “an unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security,” it said.Toronto Metropolitan University was paid $281,689 for the project titled A Multimodal Analysis Of Misinformation Strategies On TikTok, according to records. Researchers said they analyzed hundreds of TikTok posts for popularity based on “setting, clothing, effects, presentation, music, voice” and other production elements.“Voice was evaluated in terms of tone: anxious, happy, humorous, somber, energetic, calming or scary,” said a project summary. “Even language can be analyzed based on use of slang, jargon or ordinary vocabulary.”Researchers then used the most popular elements in “developing a series of TikTok posts that utilized the preliminary analysis findings as production guidelines” for government messaging. No examples were detailed. “The posts were analyzed for effectiveness based on views and shares,” it said.“The creation of a data set of multimodal TikTok elements may be used in developing a machine learning algorithm that could serve to identify misinformation and support the media literacy program,” wrote researchers in the project summary. “The project has completed the initial exploratory phase aimed at determining the genre and multimodal aspects of TikTok posts in relation to the message.”“The project team believes the media literacy strategy that is being developed will have an impact on the resilience of youth to misinformation on TikTok.”“The insights into multimodal affordances and message intention as described above will be reverse engineered into a media literacy program aimed at children aged 13 to 16.”Gould testifying at a 2019 hearing of the House Affairs Committee said, “Social media and online platforms are the new arbiters of information.”“In response to the increase in false, misleading and inflammatory information published online and through social media the Government of Canada has made it a priority to help equip citizens with the tools and skills needed.”“We know they have also been manipulated to spread disinformation, create confusion and exploit societal tension.”The 2023 Treasury Board ban on TikTok use by federal employees followed a similar 2022 directive by the US government. Federal departments and agencies prior to the ban had spent $2.2 million advertising on TikTok, according to records.
Access To Information records reveal the Trudeau Liberals paid researchers to develop attention-grabbing TikTok videos for 13-year-olds. “A machine learning algorithm” targeting teenagers was financed under a program approved by then-Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould, the records obtained by Blacklock’s Reporter show. The research was funded under a $19.4 million “Digital Citizen Program” launched by Gould. “A machine learning algorithm will be coming out soon,” said a project summary. Researchers studied music, video techniques and use of slang in attracting children’s focus, they said.Documents did not explain what use the government proposed to make of manipulative TikTok posts. The Treasury Board in 2023 banned TikTok from all government-issue smartphones as “an unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security,” it said.Toronto Metropolitan University was paid $281,689 for the project titled A Multimodal Analysis Of Misinformation Strategies On TikTok, according to records. Researchers said they analyzed hundreds of TikTok posts for popularity based on “setting, clothing, effects, presentation, music, voice” and other production elements.“Voice was evaluated in terms of tone: anxious, happy, humorous, somber, energetic, calming or scary,” said a project summary. “Even language can be analyzed based on use of slang, jargon or ordinary vocabulary.”Researchers then used the most popular elements in “developing a series of TikTok posts that utilized the preliminary analysis findings as production guidelines” for government messaging. No examples were detailed. “The posts were analyzed for effectiveness based on views and shares,” it said.“The creation of a data set of multimodal TikTok elements may be used in developing a machine learning algorithm that could serve to identify misinformation and support the media literacy program,” wrote researchers in the project summary. “The project has completed the initial exploratory phase aimed at determining the genre and multimodal aspects of TikTok posts in relation to the message.”“The project team believes the media literacy strategy that is being developed will have an impact on the resilience of youth to misinformation on TikTok.”“The insights into multimodal affordances and message intention as described above will be reverse engineered into a media literacy program aimed at children aged 13 to 16.”Gould testifying at a 2019 hearing of the House Affairs Committee said, “Social media and online platforms are the new arbiters of information.”“In response to the increase in false, misleading and inflammatory information published online and through social media the Government of Canada has made it a priority to help equip citizens with the tools and skills needed.”“We know they have also been manipulated to spread disinformation, create confusion and exploit societal tension.”The 2023 Treasury Board ban on TikTok use by federal employees followed a similar 2022 directive by the US government. Federal departments and agencies prior to the ban had spent $2.2 million advertising on TikTok, according to records.
